• KNEECAP - ThE RECAP • Heavenly Recordings.

• KNEECAP - The Story So Far... •

“Whether you like it or not, you’re a catalyst. That’s what you are born for.” - Sinéad O’Connor

Guess who’s back in the news? Kneecap have been catalysts for a new wave of Irish hip-hop, Irish culture and language, and independent cinema. Now, in 2025, they find themselves at the forefront of collective action by artists around the globe standing in solidarity with Palestine.

Kneecap is now the most talked-about group in the world, mobilising a generation in moshpits and on dancefloors, in fields and in clubs, and online and off. At the core of this, are undeniably exhilarating tunes. This is hip-hop at its most exciting – a potent and revolutionary force, smashing bans, barricades, censorship, and the occasional bottle of Buckfast. Their fiercely intelligent breakthrough concept album, Fine Art (2024), produced by Toddla T, catapulted them into the mainstream, in tandem with their BAFTA-winning feature film, Kneecap, starring Michael Fassbender, which was short-listed for an Academy Award.

Anyone who thought the Kneecap phenomenon may have peaked in their breakout year of 2024, was seriously mistaken. Following multiple sold out US and UK tours, performances at some of the biggest festivals across Europe - including Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds, Sziget, and Electric Picnic - as well as sold out tours of Australia and New Zealand featuring a more than 10,000-strong crowd turning up in blistering heat at a free outdoor show in Melbourne, Kneecap took to the stage at Coachella in 2025.

This landmark gig mobilised American youth at the festival, who packed Kneecap’s shows across both weekends, vocally advocating for peace and Palestinian freedom themselves. For this, Kneecap faced a barrage of criticism from conservative forces, demonstrating once again the power of music and of artists who refuse to shirk from the truth of exposing the brutal realities of unjust war and oppression, from Vietnam to Gaza, from apartheid-era South Africa to the streets of Belfast and Derry, and the power of young people to call this suffering to a halt. Kneecap found themselves in a media and political maelstrom, but stuck to their principals, with their fandom and crowds only growing larger.

A headline performance at the Wide Awake Festival in London in May, shortly after Mo Chara was slapped with a charge from the British police, saw over 20,000 attendees descend on the main stage arena to witness a gig subsequently lauded by the Guardian, the Telegraph, Pitchfork, the Irish Times, the London Standard, and described by The Times as a “historic moment… Exciting, funny and anarchic, with a rebellious edge that has not been seen in rock or rap for years.” Kneecap donated their fee to Médecins Sans Frontières.

It was at this gig that Kneecap revealed their latest rallying call, a drum and bass banger, The Recap ft. Mozey, eviscerating the actions of now Tory-leader Kemi Badenoch for attempting to withhold arts funding from the band. In that case, Kneecap took the British government to court, and won, donating the grant to youth groups from both communities in the North of Ireland.

They are now set to join forces with Fontaines D.C. for a series of massive summer outdoor shows across the UK and Ireland, and are back in the studio creating the follow-up to Fine Art, with plenty of material to draw from, to say the least. In 2025, Kneecap shows are now selling out in seconds. Kneecap will perform at a number of huge festival dates around Europe this summer, including a highly anticipated return to Glastonbury. They will also perform a massive outdoor show in Dublin, as well as two December concerts at Dublin’s 3Arena, the largest indoor arena on the island of Ireland. They are also set to play Wembley Arena in London.

Whether they’re rolling up to Sundance in a police Land Rover, encouraging tens of thousands of young people to learn Irish, breaking box office records, storming festivals with epic main stage sets, annoying right-wing politicians the world over, or earning support and solidarity from the likes of Noel Gallagher, Annie Mac, Elton John, Amyl & the Sniffers, Paul Weller, Primal Scream, Massive Attack, on banners in football stadiums, or in graffiti on city walls around the world, Kneecap’s message and mode of unity, community, collective action and the power of raving, punk, and rap, is all underscored with a revolutionary sound, and blistering live performances that have built a global wave of fans unified in the joy of solidarity and the shared sweat that flings from fine art like no other.

This is a moment and a movement. And it’s only just begun.

• WIDE AWAKE HEADLINE SHOW •

Beer, Baggies, and a Little Revolution: From the center of a political firestorm, the brash rap trio from the north of Ireland donned tricolor balaclavas and got the crowd on their side at London’s Wide Awake festival. It was a druggy and radical sound of freedom.

- Pitchfork -

"Kneecap are among the very, very best live acts on these islands. And accordingly, songs such as I'm Flush, infectious new single The Recap, riotous dance anthem Rhino Ket and set-closer H.O.O.D. cause absolute pandemonium here among the biggest audience they've ever played to. It ensures that Wide Awake 2025 ends in euphoria."

- LOUDER ★★★★ -

“Exciting, funny and anarchic, with a rebellious edge that has not been seen in rock or rap for years... In front of 20,000 people at a set that nearly didn't happen, they created a historical moment.”

- The Times ★★★★ -

“Kneecap presided over a 90-minute carnival of mayhem, defiance and controversy in London, adding that the audience was one big party."

- The Telegraph ★★★★ -

“Irreverent, ambitious and irrefutably themselves.”

- Evening Standard ★★★★ -

"Still loud, and proud."

- The Guardian ★★★★ -

"Kneecap turn controversy into catharsis at electrifying Wide Awake headline show"

- The Line Of Best Fit -

"In equal parts party and protest, their reputation as artists who aren’t afraid to use their platform was reinforced."

- Record Of The Day -

• 100 CLUB •

• KNEECAP - THE RECAP Ft. Mozey (Bootleg Version) •

• Only Available On Soundcloud •

"It took a lot of incredibly talented and passionate people to come together to make this video in just over a week. And I can't believe the trust and support we got from Kneecap and their team. A once in a lifetime kind of job. So grateful to each and every one of yiz. More Blacks, More Dogs, More Irish, Mo Chara."

- Finn Keenan (Director) -

"The video, directed by Finn Keenan, takes those lyrics to the next level. After opening with a barrage of newspaper headlines, the clips include surveillance-camera footage, clips of Buckingham Palace and the royal guards, an altered statue of Queen Victoria (A million Irish dead under her reign), and a cartoon of British Prime Minister Kier Starmer, who said the thought of the group playing Glastonbury was not 'appropriate."

- Rolling Stone Magazine -

"An astonishingly instant summer-smash in waiting, the West Belfast trio collaborated with drum & bass producer Mozey on the Kemi Badenoch baiting track which received its live debut at their momentous headline appearance at this year's Wide Awake Festival in Brockwell Park, London."

- Anti Music -

"Utilizing a combination of animation, performance footage, and stock footage, the video takes aim at the British monarchy, British politicians, and, naturally, makes statements in favor of a free Palestine."

- New Noise Magazine -

"It's impossible to ignore what the Irish three-piece have accomplished what they set out to do in getting more people to talk about the genocide in Gaza. Now, they're responding to the media hysteria with a music video for their new single featuring Mozey, "The Recap." It blends a slew of headlines about Kneecap with a cartoon version of member Mo Chara — who faces the terror charge — running around London landmarks. There's also footage of signs with the slogan, "More Blacks, More Dogs, More Irish, Mo Chara." This is a reference to the racist slogan "No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs" from the mid-20th century. The video switches up near the end to show clips from their Glastonbury performance, and references Helen Wilson, the woman who live-streamed their entire set to a TikTok audience of two million people. On top of all of this, the song is an absolute banger."

- Exclaim Magazine -

• Stereoboard | Hot Press | NME | Dork Magazine | Rolling Stone.

• Mozey Introducing KNEECAP - THE RECAP at Wide Awake •

• BOOTLEG REVIEWS •

"A ferocious, taunting drum’n’bass track."

- Pitchfork -

"A raucous new single ‘The Recap’ sees the trio having chaotic fun, the prevailing mood is one of defiance, as they implore fans to join them outside Westminster Magistrates Court next month to support Chara at his trial."

- Rolling Stone UK -

The collaboration with drum and bass artist Mozey continues the Belfast hip hop trio's tradition of blending Irish and English lyrics with biting political commentary.Propelled by drum and bass beats, the track takes aim at Tory party leader Kemi Badenoch, who has been working to silence Kneecap following political remarks made during their past concerts.

- Stereoboard -

"A new song called “The Recap” that takes aim at Kemi Badenoch, one of the UK conservatives who has been working to silence Kneecap. Per the lyrics, Badenoch’s “career is going to rot.”

- Stereogum -

The relentless and blistering new track ‘The Recap’ begins with a “breaking news” bulletin about counter terrorism police investigating Kneecap. In a breakdown of the team-up with drum and bass artist Mozey, the trio rap about Badenoch’s attempt at “fooling everybody“.

- NME -

"Musically and politically it’s harder and more furious than ever, a no-holds-barred mix of electro- and post-punk – than anything they’ve released to date."

- Analogue Trash -

“The Recap” is a biting response to the terror offense, coming in roaring with thundering drums and a beat drop as in-your-face as the group’s shouts. While the track is similar to their past work, the electronic production and onslaught of verses in the Irish language hits harder given the context of their response."

- Grimy Goods -

In “The Recap,” the trio holds nothing back responding to their current situation with an intense and unfiltered track. Starting with a news report on the terrorism charges, the lyrics mince no words criticizing Kemi Badenoch, leader of the British Conservative Party. The trio compares her to the aforementioned Margaret Thatcher, saying her career will “rot.” Lyrics are in both English and Irish Gaelic. The track ends with another spoken section similar to the intro, including a sarcastic remark on Badenoch’s performances in the election. The track ends with the statement “Free Palestine,” reaffirming the band’s stance on the ongoing conflict.

- MXDWN -

"Infectious"

- Louder -

"They closed out with The Recap – their clap-back at the haters."

- Evening Standard at Glastonbury -

"New song ‘The Recap’ is as notable for its Kemi Badenoch-baiting lyrics as it is for its absolutely brutal bassline."

- Dork Magazine at Glastonbury -

• RADIO •

SPOT PLAYS: Triple R (Melbourne, AU), RTR 92.1FM (Perth, AU), Bay FM (Byron Bay, AU), 4ZZZ FM (Melbourne, AU), Three D Radio (Adelaide, AU), Will Live (Belgium), VRT Studio Brussel (Belgium), Radio Centraal (Belgium), Czech Radio 1 (Czech Republic), Radio Helsinki (Finland), Radio Popolare (Italy), NPO 3FM (Netherlands), George FM (New Zealand), NRK P13 (Norway), Radio Kampus (Poland), iCAT FM (Spain), and RNE Radio 3 (Spain).

• TRACK REVIEWS •

"Their music isn’t just social commentary, it’s confrontation, lived and performed with the rawness of those directly affected by the systems they challenge. Whether it’s shouting from a stage, marching through the streets, or standing trial under surveillance, Kneecap don’t just make noise they inhabit the protest."

- Northern Exposure Magazine ★★★★★ -

"Capturing a mix of heavy drum & bass and blistering post-punk as they join forces with bassline artist Mozey, and criticise Badenoch in the lyrics."

- NME -

"In it, they address those who wish to silence them, arrest them, and have them banned from the stage, including Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch."

- Brooklyn Vegan -

"Fiery"

- Consequence Of Sound -

"That message echoes through ‘The Recap’ — not just defiance, but a full-throated refusal to let politicians dictate what art is allowed to say."

- Blunt Magazine -

"Kneecap unleashes ‘The Recap’ with Mozey, turning political controversy into sonic ammunition. Heavy drum patterns collide with defiant Irish verses as the trio addresses their critics head-on. This collaboration transforms recent headlines into compelling musical rebellion, proving that controversy can fuel artistic excellence."

- Stereobar -

"A furious, gloating diss track aimed at Badenoch, in which they describe the grant money as reparations."

- The Guardian -

- #30 Ireland's Singles Chart -

• Far Out Magazine | Clash Magazine | Our Culture | Dork Magazine | Far Out Magazine | The Line Of Best Fit. | AV Club •

• The National Scotland (Lyrics translated on their article.)•

• DSP'S •

• A Breath of Fresh Éire - Cover Stars - Spotify Editorial - GB
• All New All Now - Spotify Editorial - GB
• All New Dance - Spotify Editorial - GB
• Massive Drum & Bass - Spotify Editorial - WORLD
• New Dance Beats - Spotify Editorial - WORLD
• New Music Friday UK - Spotify Editorial - GB
• New Music Friday NL- Spotify Editorial - NL
• New Music Friday BE - Spotify Editorial - BE
• New Music Friday Hungary - Spotify Editorial
• New Music Friday Iceland - Spotify Editorial - IS
• New Music Friday Italia - Spotify Editorial - IT
• New Music Friday AU & NZ - Spotify Editorial - AUS/NZ
• Oyster - Spotify Editorial - WORLD
• Wire - Spotify Editorial - WORLD
• New In Electronic - Apple Music - Lançamentos da Semana
• New In Indie - Apple Music - 76 territories incl US, China, Japan
• New in Indie - Apple Music - 76 territories incl US, China, Japan
• New Music Daily -Apple Music - 58 territories incl UK, France, Italy
• Brand New UK - Deezer - FR
• Freitag alles neu - Deezer - DE
• Lançamentos da Semana - Deezer - BR
• Robot Rock - Deezer - FR
• Lançamentos da Semana - Deezer - BR
• Brand New Music - Amazon
• Super Sharp: Best new Jungle - TIDAL
• Drum & Bass - TIDAL
• Homepage Placement - Beatport
• Genre Placement: Drum & Bass - Beatport.

•Glastonbury Preview: KNEECAP ft. Paul Hartnoll - 'Sayōnara.' •

"A new song follows that has an instrumental which sounds like two robots punching each other in the face, in case anyone had lost sight of how much fun Kneecap are in among all the controversy."

- Dork Magazine -

"Among the highlights of KNEECAP's set at Glastonbury this weekend – in front of a crowd of approximately 30,000 people in the packed out West Holts area – was the live debut of a new collaboration with Orbital's Paul Hartnoll."

- Hot Press -

• Features and Interviews •

• Glastonbury Guardian Cover Feature (UK) ) •

"The Irish rap trio have recently faced censure and a court case, but have also had support for their pro-Palestine stance. Ahead of a Glastonbury appearance deemed ‘inappropriate’ by Keir Starmer, they argue the backlash against them is a deliberate distraction."

"If we lose a few quid, we lose a bit of clout in a certain space, we don’t care – we know we’re doing the right thing, we know we’re on the right side of history.”

- Liam Ó hAnnaidh - The Guardian -

• FLAUNT MAGAZINE (US) •

"We don't say 'Northern Ireland' because that would legitimize the border." explains Mo Chara. "We believe the border is illegal. It was forced on us. By saying the words 'Northern Ireland? that, to us, is justifying an illegal invasion It's making it out that Northem Ireland is an actual country, when we think it's fake. It's been made up. So, we say. the "North of Ireland."

"We just talk about our own experience," concludes Moglai Bap, turning the conversation back to how far they've come and why they will never back down from being outspoken. "The experience Irish people had when they first came to America? We should have compassion and empathy for people who are moving from war-torn countries and try to imagine what they went through. Maybe keep that in mind when you're thinking about Palestine and Israel, or people coming into your country looking for work or trying to find refuge. Just remember that the Irish people were there once upon a time."

"Kneecap have made many not only admire Irish but actually want to use it. The number of boys taking A-Level Irish in Northern Ireland nearly doubled last year."

- The London Review -

• GLASTONBURY 2025 •

"Behind the furore, the trio are really good at what they do. Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap are impressive rappers – raw-throated but dextrous, far funnier than you might expect if the only stuff you heard about Kneecap revolved around recent events. And live, their sound comes into its own, a fizzing stew with a bassy intensity that has a hint of the Prodigy about it: Fine Art’s sudden lurches from dubstep to four-to-the-floor pounding; Get Your Brits Out’s warped take on classic Chicago house."

- The Guardian ★★★★★ -

"Their performance excels most in its pure kinetic energy. Irreverent lyrics shoot out like violent lava over fast and infectious beats; serious subject matter (colonialism; the plight of the Irish language; social disenfranchisement; drug use) is handled with punchy and cavalier humour...This embodied so much of what hip-hop has always been: forceful, urgent – and impossible to suppress."

- The Independent ★★★★★ -

"Delivering colourful street scenarios with amphetamine-speed raps, their music maestro – DJ Próvai, hooded as ever in a tricolour balaclava, pumping out appealingly crude beats that call back to the ’90s heyday of hardcore-into-jungle and reach out to the contemporary street music across the Irish Sea: grime."

- MOJO -

"The group don’t seem too bothered about the negatives that come with their increased profile. Coming on stage to a montage of news clips demanding their cancellation, it’s as triumphant as Jay-Z’s 2008 entrance. Kneecap continue to balance righteous anger, support for the oppressed, and an impulse to glorious chaos wherever they go."

- DORK -

"West Holts stage was rammed past capacity, with 30,000 people crammed ear to ear for a chance to catch the festival’s most-talked-about act in the flesh...Kneecap wasted no time in pumping the energy levels up to maximum, despite the relatively early 4pm kick off...They were fiercely, unapologetically themselves."

- Evening Standard -

"After a feral crowd reaction to the closing trio of tracks ‘’Get Your Brits Out’, ‘H.O.O.D.’ and new single ‘The Recap’, Bap concluded: “We’ve said it before, the story isn’t about us. It’s about the genocide happening in Palestine. Free, free Palestine.”

- NME -

"On some level, the most dangerous thing Kneecap did at Glastonbury was wear balaclavas and scarves in a heatwave...There was so much joy and emotion in the dancing in the densely packed crowd it was impossible to resist."

- The Telegraph ★★★★ -

"When it comes down to it, Kneecap are an incredible rap act and this is an atmosphere of both common belief and absolutely having it."

- Mixmag -

"Gaining one of the day’s biggest crowds at the West Holts Stage, Kneecap opened with a montage of their critics, before moving into ’Better Way To Live’."

- Clash -

"Inspiring swathes of their compatriots to learn their native Irish tongue, these scruffily clad lads are what “influencers” really should be, and what they once were, before the word was corrupted, bastardised and transformed into equating to rictus grins, chiselled cheekbones and honed abs on the Gram. Can we get that version back, please? Kneecap are just one bright hope for that future."

- SuperJam -

"It wasn't just about one band or one story, it was a cultural moment. A celebration of Irish identity on a global scale."

- Four Four Magazine -

• FESTIVAL REVIEWS •

•FINSBURY PARK / FONTAINES DC •

"On this moody-skyed evening, that poetic intensity was on full, visceral display...an earlier-than-expected arrival of Chatten to the stage, to perform ‘Better Way To Live’, embracing the band at the end."

- Why Now -

"What was all the more impressive than a dizzying crowd of all ages, sweating and yelling over one another, was their candid address of activism in the internet age...Kneecap’s music is like a laser, slowly burning a hole into the fictitious filaments of the infinite half-truths that make up contemporary politics."

- Far Out Magazine -

"As Kneecap cruised onstage, the first quarter of the crowd – 99.9 per cent of London’s Irish community – erupted: lurching, swaying, moshing. Brandishing their tricolours and Palestinian flags high in the air, they shouted “Free Palestine” back at the band heartily. “Get Your Brits Out” had my Irish friends levitating with excitement."

- The News Statement -

"The experience of solidarity is a vital one. Grian Chatten appears to sing ‘Better Way To Live’, and tracks like ‘H.O.O.D.’ are thrilling elixirs of subversive joy. It’s easy to be cynical here – without this culture war moment, Kneecap probably wouldn’t have gained such a colossal audience. But that’s all supposition: we’re here together, in this darkness, and Kneecap are three absolute radges from Belfast attempting to flick the light back on. This is their moment, and they’re excelling."

- Clash Magazine -

"Fontaines nearly outshone by Kneecap, their supporting act, who drew an enormous balaclava-clad crowd themselves."

- The Telegraph -

"Wearing a silver jacket and glasses, Grian was embraced by KNEECAP and sang with the trio on "Better Way To Live."

- The Independent -

• Fairview Park, Dublin •

"Skill-fully orchestrating their congregation and punctuating an explosive set with humour and powerful monologues... riotous, pulsating tracks that alchemise eveyone in attendence."

- The Irish Times ★★★★★ -

"This was a celebration in the form of a scream, a primal roar announcing that the West Belfast rappers are, in spite of swirling controversy, at the very peak of their powers...the mic is mightier than the gaval."

- Irish Independent -

"Before they stepped on stage, the atmosphere was thick with anticipation and triumphant joy – the result was a crowd that was impossibly loud and likely heard across the north side of Dublin. Even from outside the mosh pits, the energy is unlike anything I’ve seen before – with the tent becoming a container for ruckus enjoyment and hedonistic pleasure...They’ve certainly been found guilty of putting on a good show."

- Golden Plec ★★★★★ -

"In a 4-minute speech midway through the set, Mo Chara, whose birth name is Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, addressed the ongoing tragedy unfolding in the Gaza Strip."

- HOT PRESS VIDEO -

“"Unconditional bail never felt so good. I'm going to make the best of it," he said...He was true to his word as he raced around the stage like a nationalist Mick Jagger in a shiny tracksuit.”

“For two hours on Thursday, Kneecap were a blur of energy as they dared and prodded the audience to keep up with their exuberance - it's powerful, innova-tive, exciting and fun music. They sliced and diced their lyrics between English and Irish in their songs and the crowd lapped up every word.”

- The Sunday Independent -

•Best Kept Secret •

"Everywhere hands go up with phones, necklaces, sunglasses and wallets."

- #1 Best Performance at Best Kept Secret Festival, Denmark. - 3voor12 -

"The trio mainly builds a good party on bare beats and sharply delivered bars."

- OOR -

Where other festivals remove the Northern Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap from the line-up, the organization of Best Kept Secret recently moved this performance to the main stage. And then prime time: on Saturday night.

- AD -

GLASGOW

"The band leave the stage to an old Irish rebel song, which goes so well among this audience that it singing continues as we file out, only interrupted by the odd ‘Free Palestine’. It’s a striking image: thousands of people peacefully singing a decades old protest song from one nation, while chanting for another.

Like them or loathe them, Kneecap are no longer on the fringes. They’re shaping the culture of today with every headline they’re in, and they’ve got no intentions of slowing down or shutting up."

- The Big Issue -

• LIVE SHOWS •

• SUMMER 2025 •

• June 6th - Northside Festival, Denmark
• June 8th - Primavera, Spain.
• June 14th - Best Kept Secret, Netherlands.
• June 19th - Fairview Park, Dublin
• June 27th - 29th - Glastonbury Festival, West Holts
• July 2nd / 3rd / 4th - The Depo Venue (SOLD OUT)
• July 5th - Finsbury Park, London (SOLD OUT)
• July 6th - Eurocknees Festival, France
• July 8th - Glasgow Academy
• July 10th - 2000 Trees, Shepton Mallot (Headline)
• July 13th - Rockwave Festival, Greece
• August 1st - OFF Festival, Poland
• August 7th - We Out West, Gothenburg
• August 8th - Oya Festival, Norway
• June 13th-15th - Best Kept Secret, Netherlands
• August 9th - Flowfest, Finland
• August 11th - Sziget, Hungary
• August 14th - Greenman, Wales (Headline)
• August 15th - Wythemshaw Park, Manchester*
• August 29th - Viral, Belfast*
• *Supporting Fontaines DC. (SOLD OUT)
• September 5th - Paradiso, Amsterdam (SOLD OUT)
• September 6th - Paradiso, Amsterdam (SOLD OUT)
• September 18th - OVO Arena Wembley, London.

• DJ Magazine | NME | Bill Board | Hit Channel | Joe.

• USA AUTUMN 2025 •